President Mugabe to meet Japanese PM

By Lovemore Chikova

of the three-day Fifth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) today aimed at strengthening relations between the continent and Japan.

The Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, who is already in Japan for the conference would also have a number for engagements today.

He is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Mr Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the conference.

President Mugabe would also tour the Africa Fair where he would visit the Zimbabwean stand.
He is expected to hold several more meetings tomorrow with different Japanese officials and would give interviews to the Japanese media.

First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, who is accompanying President Mugabe, would also be busy as she is expected to participate in a number of activities on the sidelines of the conference.

The First Lady would attend an HIV and Aids symposium as part of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV and Aids.

She would visit a Japanese farm developed under municipal urban planning and would also tour a food market all under the theme ‘Yokohama: Produce locally, Consume locally’.

Amai Mugabe would also attend a dinner hosted by Mrs Ake Abe tomorrow before visiting a traditional ornament hairpin workshop where handcrafts made of silk floral parts would be on display.

A number of senior government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi are also in Japan for the conference.

The 5th TICAD is comprised of plenary sessions for Heads of States in Africa, over 50 official side events and other activities organised by its partners. The conference is held every five years in Japan with the objective ‘to promote high-level policy dialogue between African leaders and development partners’.

Other co-organisers of TICAD are the United Nations and the United Nations Development Programme.

The first TICAD was held in 1993, the second in 1998, the third in 2003 and the fourth in 2008.
TICAD has been an evolving element in Japan’s long-term commitment to foster peace and stability in Africa through collaborative partnerships.

In this context, Japan has stressed the importance of Africa’s ownership of its development as well as of the partnership between Africa and the international community.